She’s holding back pretty well to be honest. I’ve had a few ‘stop riding like a dick head’ and even a ‘well you might as well sell your bike, your not going keep riding it now, are you?’. Ive tried “it could be worse”, that doesn’t seem to help….

Cast will be off for the wedding, so hopefully no issues.

I just didn’t realise how dark that bottom section got, but yea 10/10 for stupidity.

The bit after the style after San Marino. It was late and the darkness under the trees surprised me. Should have put lights on, but I was so close to the finish I didn’t bother – lesson learned.

Feeling pretty sorry for myself at the mo.

Aaaaaaaand I’ve broken my arm (that’s right in time for stag and wedding)

Phillips park and the red runs are running fine, have a good one

I own a Trek Madone AND a Boardman FS from Halfords. I also run the pedals it came with.

Grrrr….they don’t do city centre either!

Anybody?!

Tony doesn’t do Manchester anymore, but he recommended a firm called Livewire, so i’ll go with them

I’ll give Tony a tinkle.

Murf – sorry bud, no mileage. But would you be able to tell me whether an electrician is the right person for a faulty electric shower, or is that quite a specialised job?

From top to bottom:

– Todmorden
– Rivington
– Ramsbottom

So just the bottom one is from last night. It was pretty threatening last night, but I had my yellow lenses in so it just felt like another sunny day!

Ah, well done. Cheers.

Thanks Chaps, another good ride!

Posting photos on here is a smidge above my technical abilities, but if anyone is on instagram, search #MNPR (there’ll be a few about Power Rangers, but you should see mine as well)

Thanks Chaps, another good ride!

Posting photos on here is a smidge above my technical abilities, but if anyone is on instagram, search #MNPR (there’ll be a few about Power Rangers, but you should see mine as well)

I’m watching it on the work PC (shhhhh….)

Lifer – it’s an advert that is on EVERY SINGLE advert break on ITV4 for some smartphone game. Tis très annoying.

Looks like Sagan is going to go for the first points of the day.

That Bubble Witch may well get a boot up the backside before this Tour is over….

Was going to mention the commentary, but they’ve just switched. Doh.

Dazh – thanks, that’s much appreciated. You’ve got mail.

It’ll be too warm for waterproofs Shirley?

I think I’d just rather wear something light weight and accept my soaking, than try and delay the inevitable.

I’ll be there

Badllama – Phillips park is my local. I was getting a bit fed up of the 8, but now I have a new appreciation for how well put together it is! I made the silly mistake of trying something new.

Chambord – I did note the ‘CCTV in operation’ signs, but obviously you can’t stop idiots. This is why we can’t have nice things.

Looking forward to doing something proper on the weekend now.

Thanks Scaled.

Yep, I went down that bit. Maybe because I was riding it blind, or because I’m just not very good at jumping but I couldn’t get enough speed to get anything on those table tops. I thought there might be something similar in height to (the other) Phillips Park.

Not sure if he was the last to hold all jerseys at some stage in a tour but i think Merckx went one better and actually won the points, mountain and general classification in 1969. The best young rider competition didn’t exist in ’69 but if it had he would have won that too as he was under 25 at the time.

Mercx did win all jerseys, and though I’m certain no one has won ALL the jerseys since I wasn’t sure if someone had held them at some point in the same tour.

Any boffins have an idea?

Jamie – that is brilliant.

Wohooo, I’m off to the Vuelta this year!

If Sagan managed to get the yellow jersey today (not ridiculous), how difficult would it be for him to get KOM jersey as some point over the next two weeks?

If not impossible, who was the last person to hold all jerseys (including the white jersey) at some point in the same tour?

Btw, in case it wasn’t obvious – I love Peter Sagan.

Cav, Schleck, Froome.

I said it earlier, but if anyone want to have a bet as to who retires next, please direct your attention to my dream team.

He’s out!

Again, not his biggest fan, but that is a bitter pill.

It doesn’t start for another hour..

I see, got a bit ahead of myself there and couldn’t see it on the guide. Going to try and catch it on the sly at work.

What channel is it on? I can’t see it on ITV!

Also, using my dream team as a guide to who will crash / retire next it’s a straight fight between Cancellara going too hard or one of the three remaining team member I actually have left!

Thanks Scaled, YGM.

Please don’t worry if it is a bit of a faff, just let me know and I’ll get the train.

Binners – quite the coincidence, I’m from the South West and used to take Badgerline X37 from Keynsham. Good times.

Also, no one motioned the 100m climb! That lift is looking even more appealing scaled….

dazh – thanks that would be great. I’m the one on the Boardman FS looking sheepish.

scaled – I’m just opposite Beetham Tower (Dmitris). A lift would be grea! I was going to get the 19.26 train from Victoria to arrive at Walsden for 19.59 so no worries if not.

I’m in Leeds for the start – no idea where, the general throng probably.

Train across to Harrogate – again, general crowd milling / trying to get on TV.

I also posted because it was stuck on 88 posts 8O

Great. Cheers Clover, you’ve saved me a pint of mild there.

Hope to be there again. If anyone is leaving from the city centre the first pint (for the lift giver) is on me!

I always put the seats down and chuck it in the boot, however no matter how careful I am there are an increasing number of marks on the interior.

I had a rack that fitted nicely on my old Golf, but it just won’t ‘sit’ right on a coupe. Are there specific ones for coupes with a boot?

Went back up to do San Marino last night. It’s a bit good isn’t it?

Managed to make it down without a puncture, but at 45+ psi it was a little sketchy!

I did lose my chain about 1/3 of the way down, but I just that’s just unavoidable really.

Hopefully see you chaps on Monday

Thanks Witton. I’ll make sure I was just being a bit slow last night, then I’ll hit the button on that.

So I’ll be going sans pump this evening. What an adrenaline junkie….

ETA: Ooooh that Lezyne pump IS shiny. Does it have a pressure gauge – that’s the deal breaker.

Somebody (apologies there were a lot of new faces last night) was showing me a decent pump they had, don’t suppose anyone can tell me what is was? I’ll be damned if I’m starting a ‘What pump thread’, though not being able to finish San Marino was bloody annoying.

I’m thinking about heading up again tonight if I get away. What is an un-puncturable psi on a 26er – 40?

Will upload a couple of pics once I absorb the technical ability from staring at a flickr login page for long enough.

Just wanted to say a massive thanks for the ride last night. It was a bloody lovely evening!

Apologies for the epic mechanical on the way down San Marino. Suffice to say when I got my track pump out at home it went straight up. Also, a special thanks to Lowie(?) for waiting for me at the bottom and making sure I wasn’t a bloodied mangled corpse. I hope the babysitter was suitably relieved….

Thanks again and hopefully see you next week.

Oh, I’m in the market for a new pump and, most probably, a new wheel.

Thanks Andy. I just went sensible middle of the road in the end (and cross referenced against aluminium frames with a similar geometry who sensibly PRINT it on the frame!)

Looks like I can bin work off early enough to get there.

Not having been on one before, I’m feeling very ‘first day at new school’.

Also, take it lights are needed?